Knockdown shelving and the like



April 23, 1953 J. L. MERRICK 2,636,618

KNOCKDOWN SHELVING AMD THE LIKE Filed Aug. 50, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 INV EN TOR.

J MERE/CK April 28, 1953 J L, RI K 2,636,618

KNOCKDOWN SHELVING AMD THE LIKE Filed Aug. 30, 1950 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Hg 6H5. 7

INVENTOR.

J g. MFEE/CK Patented A r. 28, 1953 KNOCKDOWN SHELVING AND THE'LIKEJames L. Merrick, Glen Rock, Pa.

Application August 30, 1950, Serial No. 182,312

2 Claims.

This invention relates to shelving, wall brackets and the like and morespecifically to articles of this type which may be readily knocked downfor shipment or storage.

An important object of the invention is the provision in a structure ofthis character of a joint between a support and an engaged shelf or thelike firmly holding the shelf against motion in any direction andsecurely locking the component parts to one another.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a joint of thischaracter in which the locking is effected by the resiliency of one ofthe component parts.

Still another object is the provision of a structure of this type whichcan readily be produced from moldable materials such as plastics.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a shelf unit embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 showing the elements inpartially assembled relation.

Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the assembly;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of the standard;

Figure 7 is a front elevation thereof;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the shelf, and

Figure 9 is a view similar to that of Figure 4 showing a slightlymodified construction.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings the numeral iiidesignates a standard and l I a shelf to be mounted thereon. In thepresent illustration a single shelf mounted on. a single standard hasbeen illustrated. It will be understood, however, that a single bracketmay be used to support a plurality of shelves or a single shelf may bemounted on a plurality of standards as desired. Furthermore while theterm shelf is employed to indicate the member ll mounted on the bracketthis member may be any structure which it is desired to mount upon thestandard.

Standard 10 is preferably substantially rectangular in cross-section andis provided on its front face with a pair of lugs l2 and I3, forming anotch M in which the body of shelf ll fits closely. To facilitate entryof the shelf body in the notch one of these lugs, in the presentillustration upper lug I2, is made slightly shorter. The sides of thestandard each have an ear I6 terminating in spaced relation to the rearface of the standard and having the lower face thereof at leastpartially coplanar with the upper Wall a of the notch [4. Any suitablemeans may be provided for mounting the standard such as the socket I!opening through the rear wall thereof and adapted for the reception of awall mounted nail (not shown).

Shelf I l is generally planar and has a notch 18 in its rear edgeclosely fitting the standard I 0 at the base of notch l4 and at least inthe area of the notch I8 is resilient so that these portions of theshelf may be deflected downwardly within the elastic limit of the shelfduring assembly or separation of the elements to permit passage beneathcars It of ribs l9 of the shelf as shown in Figure 4. When the ribs [9pass the rear edge of ears IS the resilience of the structure forces theribs upwardly behind the ears as shown in Figure 2, locking the shelf inposition on the standard. The shelf may be removed by exerting downwardand forward pressure on the rear edge of the shelf at opposite sides ofits notch 18 thereby returning the shelf to position of Figure 4 whereit is easily removed by forward pressure. Assembly may be facilitated byproviding the under surfaces of the ears l6 with rearwardly incliningcam faces along which the ribs I8 ride during assembly as shown inFigure 9. It will be noted that by reason of the close fit provided atthe notches the shelf will be solidly held against movement withrelation to the standard as long as ribs I9 remain in position. In thepreferred construction the shelf is formed of some elastic material suchas plastic and the ribs i9 may comprise the ends of ribs defining therear edge of the shelf.

Since the construction illustrated is capable of considerablemodification without departing from the spirit of my invention I do notwish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, except as hereinafterclaimed.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the type described, an elongated standardsubstantially rectangular in in cross section arranged to be positionedvertically in use, a generally planar shelf member arranged to bedetachably secured transversely relative to said standard and having inone edge a notch in which said standard is received and fits closely,said standard having a forwardly facing notch in which said shelf memberfits closely and abuts the base of the notch in said shelf member, earson the sides of the standard engageable with the upper surface of saidshelf member, and ribs on said shelf member engageable directly behindthe ears of the standard when the standard and shelf member are fullyengaged, said shelf member at the sidesof the notch therein beingresilient and arranged to be deflected within the elastic limit of saidmember by engagement of the ribs thereon with said ears during movementof the shelf member into 0 out of the notch of the standard. I

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said ears on said standard areprovided with inclined cams projecting from the surfaces thereofengageable by said shelf member to cause said deflection during movementof said shelf member into the notch of said standard.

JAMES L. MERRICK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number5 1,055,050 1,242,242 1,273,397 1,818,404 2,440,207

Number Name Date Knape Mar. 4, 1913 Roper Oct. 9, 1917 Neill July 23,1918 Kaufman Aug. 11, 1931 Owens Apr. 20, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate Austria Dec. 28, 1931 Switzerland Aug. 2, 1937 Great Britain Sept.17, 1940

